Candles are lit for victims of Manchester attack as Wakefield Cathedral holds vigil

A prayer vigil for the victims of the Manchester concert bombing was held in Wakefield Cathedral this afternoon.

The people of the city were invited to join the Bishop of Wakefield and other civic and religious leaders to remember all those affected, with many joining a procession from the Ghausia Masjid mosque on Duke of York Street beforehand.

Prayers have been offered up in the cathedral at every Morning Prayer and Evensong since the attack at Manchester Arena on Monday, which was the worst atrocity in Britain since the July 7 attacks in 2005.

It claimed the lives of 22 people, including seven children, and left 116 others needing hospital treatment.

Among those killed were Leeds Beckett University student Courtney Boyle, who came from Gateshead; Allerton High School pupil Sorrell Leczkowski, 14, of Adel, and Wendy Fawell, a 50-year-old mother who lived in Otley.

Announcing the vigil, the Right Rev Tony Robinson said: “The events in Manchester on Monday evening are difficult for us to understand.

Candles lit for the victims during today's vigil.

“It has affected us all in different ways especially as the stories have unfolded of loved ones lost and people’s lives and actions at that time.

“I invite people to come together on Sunday to join in prayer for the victims and the injured and all those affected by this terrible act.”

It was confirmed yesterday that the UK terror threat level was being reduced from the highest level of critical to severe, which means an attack is highly likely.

Despite this, West Yorkshire Police is mantaining a high profile presence throughout the Bank Holiday weekend.

The procession from the Ghausia Masjid mosque on Duke of York Street in Wakefield.

Armed police will continue to patrol the streets, key sites and transport hubs.

There was also increased security measures at Millennium Square, the First Direct Arena and Leeds other venues hosting concerts and Slam Dunk Festival performances this weekend.

Assistant Chief Constable Russ Foster said policing plans were already in place so it was practical to maintain those.

“It will take a period of time for us and our partners to scale back our current response,” he said.

The Bishop of Wakefield, The Right Rev Tony Robinson, addresses those gathered from the steps of the cathedral.

“I would like to thank our officers and staff, our partner organisations and the public for their co-operation and understanding during this period. The public support we have received has been terrific.

“Again I would ask the public to remain alert but not alarmed and if they see something you are worried about or know somebody you are worried about don’t hesitate, just act.”

Further details of the ongoing investigation into the attack have also emerged today.

Police issued CCTV stills of suicide bomber Salman Abedi, bespectacled and casually clothed, in a plea for information about his movements between May 18 and the attack.

Counter-terror officers have also made a fresh arrest in connection with the atrocity as officers raid another Manchester address.

It brought the number of people being held in custody to 12.

Some of those who gathered for the vigil in Wakefield today.

Placards in support for the Manchester bombing victims were carried by many of those in attendance.